Cabinet papers from March 1940

Friday 1st March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Lord Halifax to inform Finnish government British Empire and France will “do all in their power to support them”
extract Chiefs of Staff inform Cabinet that Finland’s demands for manpower and armaments cannot be met
extract Finnish government notifies UK it may be forced to enter negotiations with Russia within 24 hours without more assistance
extract Norwegian and Swedish governments informed that Britain will shortly be requesting passage for military force
person Swedes (Germanic tribe)
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
place Finland
place Paris
place Oslo
place Stockholm
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet told shipping situation “greatest bottleneck" in whole war effort. Losses cause 10% cut in projected food supply
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Harold Wilson
person Andrew Duncan
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Isle of Portland
place Narvik
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Saturday 2nd March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Finnish Minister requests delivery of 100 UK bombers. Cabinet to delay response.
extract Britain insists to Finns that opposition by other Scandinavian governments will not prevent despatch of UK force
person Alexander Cadogan
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
place Finland
place Northern Ireland
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Meeting minutes

extract US military attaché requests data on British forces and plans. Cabinet directs Foreign Office to refuse
extract German attacks on shipping now reaching as far west as Isle of Wight. UK has no technology to intercept night air attacks
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Sumner Welles
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person Samuel Hoare
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
person Oliver Stanley
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
person Woodrow Wilson
place Heligoland
place Finland
place Europe
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation French Army
 

Monday 4th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax believes Finns have “no immediate intention of making terms” with USSR. Chamberlain predicts outcome in 24 hours
extract UK Ambassador Helsinki reports Finnish Foreign Minister “querulous not to say defeatist”. Repeats request for 100 bombers
extract Swedish government formally refuses to allow passage of Allied troops to assist Finland
person Alexander Cadogan
person Adolf Hitler
person Neville Chamberlain
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Narvik
place Berlin
place West Germany
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Royal Marine Operation.

extract Churchill circulates Admiralty plan to mine the River Rhine. Operation will be ready at 24 hours notice from 12th March
person Winston Churchill
place Great Britain
place Paris
organisation Air Force F.C.
 

Meeting minutes

extract Rumours of new German bomber operating at 35,000 feet. Unity Mitford refused permission to move to Scottish island
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Aruba
place Finland
place Iceland
place Caribbean
place Rome
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Tuesday 5th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet believes Mannerheim exaggerating situation on Russian front. Awaiting formal appeal before sending further aid
person Swedes (Germanic tribe)
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Paris
place Oslo
place Stockholm
 

Propaganda: Appreciation of Action taken and its Effect. Sixth report submitted by the Minister of Information covering the period January and February 1940.

extract Minister of Information Sir John Reith delivers a report on Britain's propaganda work in the year so far
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
place Great Britain
place Portugal
place Greece
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Hungary
place Paris
place Europe
place Kenya
place Bulgaria
place Denmark
place West Germany
 

Wednesday 6th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM: “Finns perfectly free to take what action they think best”. He now considers prospect of a direct appeal unlikely
person Ronnie Campbell
place Finland
place Helsinki
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Meeting minutes

extract Notes on recent meetings. Hitler “bully and boaster, but at bottom a coward”. Attack on Western Front "desperate gamble"
person Adolf Hitler
place Finland
place Turkey
place Denmark
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK Ambassador Vatican passes on anxiety at Mussolini’s “increasingly pro-German course”
extract Cripps in Moscow says USSR wishes to improve relations with UK, does not want to be “too closely tied” to Germany
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
person Maxime Weygand
person Kingsley Wood
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Hamburg
place Finland
place East Germany
place Moscow
place Turkey
place Rome
organisation Home Office
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Thursday 7th March 1940

Assistance to Finland. Draft Telegram to H.M. Minister at Helsinki.

extract Halifax to warn Finnish government that a UK force cannot be kept on standby indefinitely. Urges them to make a decision
place Finland
 

Meeting minutes

extract Lord Chatfield meets junior ministers. Italy “more menacing”. “On balance little advantage in going to war with Russia”
place Finland
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Turkey
place Syria
place Iran
organisation Luftwaffe
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet informed of German raid on British lines in the Saarland. Two soldiers killed, 16 captured
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
person Harold Wilson
person Andrew Duncan
place Finland
place Egypt
place Rome
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Assistance to Finland.

extract Cabinet agrees to offer 50 more aircraft to Finnish government. Chiefs of Staff question the wisdom of further support
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Russian Empire
 

Meeting minutes

extract Swedes putting pressure on Finns to make peace. Recent Russian attacks a “catastrophic surprise” to Finnish High Command
person Alexander Cadogan
person Swedes (Germanic tribe)
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
place Finland
 

Friday 8th March 1940

Scandinavia: Operations in the Face of Scandinavian Non-Co-operation.

extract Chiefs further inform Cabinet co-operation of Scandinavian governments “essential” for landing of Allied forces
place Finland
place Trondheim
place Narvik
 

Military implications of hostilities with Russia in 1940.

extract Chiefs of Staff report on "military implications of hostilities with Russia in 1940"
place Great Britain
place Afghanistan
place Murmansk
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Narvik
place Turkey
place Basra
place Syria
place West Germany
place Iran
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract Finnish Minister informs Lord Halifax his government is awaiting new terms from Russia. Promises decision by March 12th
person Swedes (Germanic tribe)
place Greece
place Finland
place Helsinki
place Turkey
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Saturday 9th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Deputy Chief of Naval Staff reports unsuccessful German attempt to mine harbour entrance of UK's Home Fleet at Scapa Flow
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Finland
place Caribbean
place Liverpool
place Jamaica
organisation Scapa
 

Meeting minutes

extract Finnish delegation reportedly in Moscow for Soviet negotiations. Air Staff consider bombing raid on Russian positions
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Moscow
place Stockholm
organisation House of Lords
 

Sunday 10th March 1940

Assistance to Finland.

extract Finnish Minister requests public statement of UK support within roughly 24 hours to aid peace negotiations with Russia
place Finland
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Monday 11th March 1940

Congress and the War.

extract Zetland gives view on way forward in India: “I cannot conceive that a policy of "lying back" will serve us for very long”
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Indian National Congress
organisation Congress Working Committee
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret understanding with Sweden delaying German ore imports at ports and railway stations. Von Ribbentrop to visit Rome
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Harold Wilson
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Heligoland
place Finland
place Iceland
place Narvik
place Denmark
place Rome
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Chamberlain arranges question to be asked in House of Commons to publicly confirm UK commitment to Finland
person Alexander Cadogan
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
place Finland
place Moscow
place Narvik
place Stockholm
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Labour Party (UK)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Congress and the War.

extract Marquess of Zetland circulates Viceroy’s summary of India talks. Gandhi: “No meeting ground whatever” with Mr. Jinnah
place Great Britain
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Indian National Congress
organisation Congress Working Committee
 

Tuesday 12th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discusses war with Russia. Air Chief: “Embarrassing diversions" not "vital blows”. No hastening of German defeat
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
place Heligoland
place Afghanistan
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Burma
place West Germany
place Iran
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Comparison of British and Japanese Fleets.

extract Churchill circulates comparison of Royal Navy and Japanese fleet. UK superiority extremely narrow
person Winston Churchill
organisation Royal Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet continues to discuss occupation of Norwegian ports to halt German ore imports. Initial landing at Narvik approved
place Athens
place Finland
place Narvik
place Oslo
place Stockholm
 

Meeting minutes

extract Notes on recent meetings: “very strong smell of rum”. “Loud laughter”. French anxious to postpone Rhine mining
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Sumner Welles
place Finland
 

Wednesday 13th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM on Sumner Welles mission: “aiming for the impossible”. No peace without “real change of outlook in Germany”
person Sumner Welles
person Adolf Hitler
person Harold Wilson
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Halifax Peninsula
place Singapore
place Europe
place Berlin
place Rome
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Canadian Forces Maritime Command
 

Committee on Issue of Warnings against Discussion of Confidential Matters in Public Places.

extract Information Minister circulates details of his “anti-gossip” campaign
 

Thursday 14th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM meets junior ministers. “Nothing with which to reproach ourselves” on Finland. Germany “true villain of the piece”
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
place Finland
place Berlin
place West Germany
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet resolves to order dispersal of ground forces prepared for Scandinavian expedition within hours
place Finland
place Narvik
place West Germany
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Approach to be made to Japanese government to limit trade with Germany and Russia. Military aid to Finland halted
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Hong Kong
place Europe
place Tokyo
place Iran
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Department of State
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Friday 15th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Informal notes on recent meetings: Zetland describes shooting, French PM Daladier nervous, jumpy, not sleeping
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
person Arthur Robinson (Australian politician)
place Finland
place Narvik
place Malta
organisation Scapa
 

Arrangements for Easter.

extract Arrangements for Easter. No scheduled meetings of full War Cabinet between Good Friday and March 31st
 

Meeting minutes

extract Zetland congratulated on surviving assassination attempt. PM to await Viceroy's new report before deciding India policy
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Adolf Hitler
person Harold Wilson
place Finland
place Burma
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Indian National Congress
organisation United States Congress
 

Degaussing of Merchant Ships.

extract Churchill reports over 10% of UK shipping now immune from magnetic mines. Test of faster ‘wiping’ technique very positive
person Winston Churchill
place London, Ontario
 

Saturday 16th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract “Berlin better blacked out than London” says US envoy. Ambassador to Vatican reports Hitler and Mussolini to meet shortly
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Sumner Welles
person Samuel Hoare
person Adolf Hitler
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Finland
place Vatican City
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Turkey
place Berlin
place Rome
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Monday 18th March 1940

Scandinavian Territorial Waters.

extract Lord Halifax circulates memo from French government urging revival of plans to occupy Scandinavian ports
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Finland
place Paris
organisation United Nations
 

Meeting minutes

extract Belgian Foreign Minister calls reports of “vast quantities of German troops” opposite Belgian frontier “disquieting”
extract Churchill suggests bombing shipping in Swedish port of Lulea to block harbour and disrupt German iron ore imports
person Winston Churchill
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Brussels
organisation German Army
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract Churchill reports on defences after Scarpa attack. Warns of general feeling “Germans used bombs…we only dropped leaflets”
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Walter Hines Page
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
person Neville Chamberlain
place Finland
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Hong Kong
place Turkey
place Gibraltar
place South America
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Scapa
organisation Home Fleet
 

Assistance to Belgium. Draft Telegrams to His Majesty's Representatives at Brussels and the Hague.

extract Halifax informs Belgians UK might deploy air and ground forces in Belgium to defend Holland without permission
place Brussels
 

Withdrawal of two R.A.F. Bomber Squadrons from Singapore to India.

extract Chiefs of Staff urge moving two bomber squadrons from Singapore to India as war with Russia now more likely than Japan
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Singapore
 

Tuesday 19th March 1940

Suggested Anglo-French Declaration not to Conclude a Separate Peace.

extract Halifax circulates draft of joint memorandum with France: both nations to agree not to make a separate peace with Germany
place Great Britain
place Paris
place Northern Ireland
organisation Government of Canada
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves development of standard men’s suit to save wool. Halifax warns against “depression” over policy failures
person Sumner Welles
person Harold Wilson
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
place New York, Lincolnshire
place Finland
place Halifax Peninsula
place Brussels
place Turkey
place Europe
place West Germany
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Scapa
 

Meeting minutes

extract Informal notes on recent meetings: “extent to which we could lend assistance to Holland not fully worked out”
person Adolf Hitler
person Sydney Brenner
organisation Scapa
 

The Effects of Severe Rationing.

extract "Severe" rationing experiments show German rations are "fully adequate". Demonstrate that UK could cut rations further
place Egypt
 

Wednesday 20th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Chief of Imperial General Staff says German offensive most likely on France-Luxembourg frontier
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Ronnie Campbell
person Neville Chamberlain
place Brussels
place Singapore
place Malta
place Libya
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Scapa
organisation 335th Fighter Squadron
 

Thursday 21st March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Paul Reynaud likely to be new Prime Minister of France. No change in policy apparent after Hitler-Mussolini meeting
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Adolf Hitler
place South Africa
place Great Britain
place Paris
place Rome
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Home Fleet
 

Naval Prize Money and Prize Bounty.

extract Churchill urges paying naval prize money for captured ships. Navy carrying “main burden” of fighting in this phase of war
person Winston Churchill
organisation Royal Navy
 

Friday 22nd March 1940

Analysis of German Propaganda, March 1 to 16, 1940.

extract Lord Halifax presents analysis of recent Nazi propaganda themes. British weakness up, brutality and lies down
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
person Oliver Stanley
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Ankara
place Slovakia
place Russian Empire
place Caribbean
place Berlin
place Rome
organisation Ministry of Supply
 

Saturday 23rd March 1940

The Grand Strategy of the Allies.

extract Easter break continues. Lord Hankey circulates his notes on the direction of Allied strategy: “continue static warfare”
person Sumner Welles
place Greece
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Hungary
place Turkey
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Marines
 

Supply and Production. Seventh Monthly Report of the Ministry of Supply covering the Month of February, 1940.

extract Supply Minister: Serious effects on production from February weather and flu outbreak. Explosives and ammo worst affected
place Finland
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Tuesday 26th March 1940

Certain Aspects of the Present Situation.

extract Defence Chiefs sum up current situation, warn against military "projects that offer little prospect of decisive success"
person Robert German
person Sydney Brenner
place Russian Empire
place Eyre Peninsula
place Turkey
place Europe
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
organisation Air Force F.C.
 

Policy to be adopted towards Norway and Sweden in consequence of their attitude during the Finnish War.

extract Halifax concerned French plans against Norway will alienate neutrals. Suggests speaking “frankly” to Norway and Sweden
place Great Britain
place Finland
place East Germany
place Halifax Peninsula
place Narvik
place Europe
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet told leaflet drops now secondary to air reconnaissance. Danish Attaché: “Extensive damage” done by Sylt attack
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Neville Chamberlain
place Hong Kong
place Paris
place Gibraltar
place Denmark
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation French Army
 

South-Eastern Europe.

extract Lord Halifax also warns against action in South-Eastern Europe that does not involve “overwhelming force”.
place Greece
place Russian Empire
place Halifax Peninsula
place Hungary
place Turkey
place Paris
place Europe
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
 

Wednesday 27th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Chiefs of Staff: “very little we could do to prevent Holland being overrun”. Effect of air action would be “very limited”
extract PM Chamberlain keen on mining operation on Rhine and Norwegian waters. Cabinet agrees to urge this in Allied War Council
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Harold Wilson
place Ankara
place Russian Empire
place Narvik
place Turkey
place Europe
place Rome
place West Germany
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation 335th Fighter Squadron
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cab.Secretary Bridges: M. Reynaud “looks more like a marmot than any other man I have seen”. “More cunning” than Daladier
 

Friday 29th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Dutch Foreign Minister rejects discussions with UK government over arrangements to resist German invasion of Netherlands
extract USSR offers to reopen trade talks with UK. Ambassador Maisky denies military alliance with Germany
person Harold Wilson
person Neville Chamberlain
place Athens
place Ankara
place Russian Empire
place Iraq
place Turkey
place Rome
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Publicity in Enemy Countries.

extract Halifax reports progress of leaflet dropping by RAF. “Produced considerable effect…even Germans cannot resist a picture”
person Richard Kiel
person Adolf Hitler
place Finland
place Paris
place Berlin
place Vienna
place Denmark
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract First Sea Lord: Navy capable of deploying Norwegian minefield within 20 minutes
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM informs Cabinet of timetable for mining of Rhine and Norwegian waters by April 5th. Action against Sweden considered
place Narvik
organisation Royal Marines
 

Acquisition of Agricultural Land by Service Departments, including the Ministry of Supply.

extract Minister of Agriculture complains of loss of 100,000 acres of valuable agricultural land to military use and manufacture
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
 

Naval Prize Money and Prize Bounty.

extract Chancellor of the Exchequer John Simon strongly disagrees with Churchill over “invidious” prize money for Navy
person Winston Churchill
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
 

Sunday 31st March 1940

Action against German Shipping.

extract Lord Halifax circulates draft messages for BBC broadcast which will make mining operations against German shipping public
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Europe
organisation Advanced Micro Devices
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation BBC
 

Certain Operations in Norwegian Territorial Waters.

extract Chiefs of Staff consider countermeasures to German response to mining operations including German invasion of Norway
place Trondheim
place Oslo
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)